"[Livestreaming 9-5 pm PST June 2nd from http://www.MindandOcean.org]SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Why do we seek respite at the ocean's shore? Why are the words "Ocean View" the most valuable in real estate? Why does the sound, smell, touch and taste of the sea set our souls at ease? These questions and much more will be on tap, Thursday, June 2, 2011 as leaders in neuroscience and ocean exploration converge at the California Academy of Sciences for the first-ever BLUEMiND Summit.

BLUEMiND Summit is the brainchild of Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, a noted sea turtle biologist, ocean advocate and Research Associate at the California Academy of Sciences. He and a team of scientists and entrepreneurs have invested two years of thought and planning into this one-of-a-kind summit.

BLUEMiND is the only event ever to explore the intersection of brain and ocean. Bringing together neuroscientists, ocean scientists, experts in technology forecasting, photographers, explorers, writers, and ocean advocates, this unprecedented Summit will help define an emerging field that unites neuroscience, ocean exploration and stewardship, providing the first opportunity for participants to engage in this dialogue and to shape a new era of scientific understanding of the ocean and its great emotional power.

“Humans have a deep connection to the sea that drives many of our decisions—from what seafood we eat and where we live, to how we vacation and relax,” said Dr. Nichols. “But that connection is poorly studied and tricky territory of discussion among scientists and policy makers. So, I decided it was time to bring the mind and ocean together. The result is BLUEMiND. Understanding the connection between neuroscience and the ocean may shed new light on the best use of our brains to evolve our relationship to our ocean planet.”

With ongoing threats to the ocean intensifying, there is urgent need to focus on solutions. Nichols and his team believe that new insights may emerge as we understand our brains more deeply—and most critically, our brain’s interrelationship with the ocean planet."